Experts Say

Spending less on nuclear weapons could actually make us safer

November 16, 2017
By William J. Perry and James E. Cartwright

The United States plans to spend $1.7 trillion over the next three decades to replace its nuclear arsenal. This is a lot of money, more annually than the country spends on the entire State Department. Even so, if we thought this level of spending were required to ensure U.S. national security, we would support it. It is not. The nation can spend much less and still be safe. In fact, safer.